Deck 3: Variables, Research Questions, and Hypotheses

Question 1

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-Active independent variable(s):

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Answer 1

Type of class

Question 2

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-Attribute independent variable(s):

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Answer 2

Grade in school

Question 3

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-Extraneous variable:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Answer 3

Location of the school

Question 4

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-Dependent variable:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 5

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-Population:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 6

A researcher wants to know if an experimental "Smoke Out" class for girls compared to aregular girls' health class at another school will significantly decrease smoking in highschool students. She also wants to know whether student grade level (9-12) makes adifference. Match accordingly. (You may use each letter choice more than once.)

-A constant:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 7

Match the type of variable with its definition.

-A variable that the investigator can manipulate to cause a change:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 8

Match the type of variable with its definition.

-A variable that is a characteristic of the population:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 9

Match the type of variable with its definition.

-Uncontrolled variable that can influence a study:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 10

Match the type of variable with its definition.

-A variable that will measure outcomes:

A) High school students
B) Amount of smoking
C) Grade in school
D) Attribute independent variable(s)
E) Extraneous variable
F) Type of class
G) Dependent variable
H) Active independent variable(s)
I) Female students
J) Location of the school

Question 11

Which of the following is INCORRECT regarding a hypothesis?

A) Theories are more specific than hypotheses
B) A research hypothesis is usually stated more specifically than a research problem
C) It is a predictive statement about the relationship between variables
D) A hypothesis can focus on differences or associations.

Question 12

Scores on a single variable are described in terms of their central tendency, variability, or percentage. These are answers to what type of research question?

A) Difference question
B) Associational question
C) Descriptive question
D) Hypothetical question

Question 13

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-The dependent variable is kindergarten adjustment.

Question 14

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-Kindergarten adjustment is an operational definition.

Question 15

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-There are three levels of the independent variable.

Question 16

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-There are four levels of the dependent variable.

Question 17

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-The independent variable is active, nonmanipulated.

Question 18

A researcher is interested in the effects of hair color on kindergarten adjustment among five-yearolds. The researcher limits the study to blondes, brunettes, redheads, and "other." The researchermeasures adjustment using an "Inappropriate Classroom Behavior" standardized assessment toolthat the teacher completes about each student.

-The levels of the independent variable are nominal.

Question 19

There is a correlation between ACT and first year college GPA is an example of a difference question.

Question 20

Is there a difference between ACT and political affiliation? This is an example of an associational question.

Question 21

Gender is an example of a variable with many levels.

Question 22

Associational questions usually have many levels of the independent and dependent variable.

Question 23

Gender is a variable that must be operationally defined.

Question 24

Test anxiety is a variable that must be operationally defined.

Question 25

A researcher is studying radiation outcomes of two groups of patients who have been treated at either Clinic A or Clinic B. Radiation therapy is an example of an active, manipulated independent variable.

Question 26

A researcher is studying a group of seizure patients. The patients are categorized according to degree of seizure activity as low, medium, high. Degree of seizure activity is an attribute variable.

Question 27

Something that varies from high to low, such as math aptitude, is an example of a level.

Question 28

A study was looking at math test scores across gender/sex, in this case the independent variable has two levels.

Question 29

What type of independent variable must you have in order to infer causation?

Question 30

What is the difference between attribute and active independent variables?

Question 31

Describe the similarities and differences among descriptive, difference, and associational research questions.

Question 32

How can you tell the difference between a variable and a level?